


paramour

by hiiraeth



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Drinking to Cope, F/M, will update tags as I add more oneshots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:28:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25832806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hiiraeth/pseuds/hiiraeth
Summary: A collection of Gabenath one-shots.
Relationships: Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth/Nathalie Sancoeur
Comments: 9
Kudos: 52





	1. tie

**Author's Note:**

> this is where im gonna dump all my tumblr gabenath drabbles under 1k words. or the ones i just don't like that much lol. 
> 
> prompt: The og scene, Nathalie fixing Gabriel's collar and/or tying his tie for him

“Did he forget the wedding was today, or something?”

Nathalie inwardly sighed and watched with tired eyes as Adrien paced back and forth in the foyer, every so often checking his phone for the time.

She couldn’t blame him for being so jittery, really. She knew Adrien had been excited for this day as soon as Amelie announced her engagement. Not only was it an opportunity for him to meet and spend time with extended family, but Marinette Dupain-Cheng would also be there, as his plus one.

And Adrien was always especially punctual when it concerned that friend of his.

Nathalie checked her own phone and bit the inside of her cheek. Only an hour until the the wedding officially started. She wondered what was taking Gabriel so long. He hadn’t really wanted to go, true, but it was unlike him to be late.

“I’ll get him,” She said, and then looked at Adrien’s bodyguard. “You two go ahead. Mr. Agreste and I will take a separate car.”

The man nodded in compliance, silent as always.

Adrien sagged with relief and a smile lit up his features. “Thanks, Nathalie! You’re the the best.”

She gave him a strained, albeit genuine smile in return. As soon as they left she made her way upstairs to Gabriel’s room, pausing outside his door.

Taking a deep breath, she raised her hand and gave it a light knock. “Sir?”

“Come in,” Gabriel’s muffled voice called from the other side.

When she opened the door her eyes had to adjust to the semi-darkness of the room. The curtains and blinds were closed, blocking out the mid-afternoon sunlight. Gabriel sat hunched over on a couch in the corner of the room, his head resting in one of his hands. She frowned.

He didn’t bother looking up at her as she made her way across the room and pulled back one of the curtains. Light spilled into the room and Gabriel winced.

Turning to look at him, her frown deepened. He was dressed for the wedding at least, a nice maroon colored three piece suit with a white dress shirt. His tie was lose though, as if he’d had trouble with it and just gave up trying to get it right. In one of his hands he held a bottle of wine, which he’d obviously taken many drinks from.

Nathalie pursed her lips and tried to maintain her professional demeanor.

“Sir, there will be drinks at the reception. It would be unseemly to show up drunk.”

“I’m not drunk,” He muttered.

“Of course,” She replied. “In that case, we should be leaving soon. The wedding starts in an hour—Adrien already left.”

“I don’t understand how can she can do it,” Gabriel said suddenly. Nathalie blinked at the sudden change of topic.

“I’m sorry?”

“It’s only been two years since David died. And she’s already getting re-married. How? Amelie was with him for sixteen years. Does that mean nothing to her? How can she just—” He cut off and looked up at Nathalie as if she somehow had the answer.

Her heart ached for him. Things like weddings and anniversaries were always especially hard for Gabriel but this one in particular touched a little too close to home. She wondered if perhaps it bothered him to see Emilie’s mirror image moving on.

Nathalie let the professionalism drop. She moved, taking a seat next to Gabriel on the couch and put an arm around his shoulders, pulling him in close. He leaned into her, closing his eyes. Gently, she took the wine bottle from his hand and set it on the end table.

“You don’t have to go if you don’t want to,” She told him, “I can tell them that something came up last minute and—”

“No,” He said, “I’ll go. I don’t care what the others think but Adrien might be disappointed in me if I don’t show up.”

Nathalie nodded in approval. As hung up as he still was over Emilie, she was glad to see that Gabriel was still trying to improve himself in Adrian’s eyes. A little progress was better than none, she supposed.

For a minute, neither of the moved. She kept her arm around him and rested her head on his shoulder, her thumb gently rubbing his arm. He sighed.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you, Nathalie.”

.

.

Eventually the two separated and stood. Nathalie made a quick phone call to Adrien to tell him they were finally on their way.

As she ended the call and turned back to Gabriel she found that he was attempting to tie his tie again, but failing. He looked at her, slightly embarrassed. “It’s been a while since I’ve worn an actual tie,” He explained.

She smiled. “Tell me again what your profession is?”

“If you recall, I’ve never been one to include ties with my designs.”

“Of course not,” She said, “Come here.”

He did as he was told. She successfully tied it on the first try, her hands moving slightly slower than what she was capable of so she could stay close to him a second longer.

When she was finished, still unwilling to move away, she rested her hand on his chest, right above his heart. His hand came to rest over hers and her eyes drifted up to meet his.

They stared at each other, something unspeakable passing between them.


	2. new york

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> gabriel wants nathalie to go to new york with him

"Gabriel," Nathalie says. Then, realizing her mistake, she corrects herself: "Sir."

Gabriel doesn't seem to mind her informal slip up– then again, he never does. He'd never once criticized her use of his first name, despite their positions, but Nathalie herself felt it best to keep the formal barriers between them in place.

Although, lately, she was finding it harder to do so. It was quite frustrating.

Gabriel offers her a simple "Hm?" in response, not taking his gaze off his computer. His brow is drawn in concentration as he twirls the stylus in his hand absentmindedly. Briefly, she wonders if it's art block he is dealing with or if something else is occupying the spaces in his mind.

She taps one manicured finger on her tablet. "I've complied a list of some hotels in New York that might suit you. You wanted to see them before I made any reservations," She reminds him. Gabriel is usually not so picky about his temporary stays but given that he'd be staying in the States for an extended period of time, he'd wanted to choose something that would be the most comfortable for himself and Adrien. It wasn't often that either of them ventured far from home after all. Though Nathalie strongly suspects the experience will be far less jarring for Adrien, who craved the exploration.

Gabriel nods and sets aside his stylus, the tension in his brow smoothing over. "Let's see it then."

The two of them relocate to the dining room where they can both sit. They really need to get some chairs in the atelier, Nathalie thinks absently. Perhaps she could convince Gabriel of it later.

She brings up the list and clicks on the first link. For the next twenty minutes, Gabriel goes through the hotels and the specific rooms Nathalie has picked out and dismisses most of them rather quickly. She's beginning to worry that she'd have to start looking at more– really, there are only so many hotels, even in a place like NYC– before Gabriel finally seemed to have found one that he deemed satisfactory. He spends more time looking at it then the others, as well as the area surrounding it. But then he frowns and Nathalie lets out a soft sigh. "Is there something wrong, sir?"

"This hotel," He said. "I like the penthouse suite you chose, but it only has two bedrooms."

He looks up at her and she stares back in confusion. "Sir?"

A look of understanding crosses his features and he sighs, taking off his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. "I forgot to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

He is silent for a moment, observing his glasses closely before he places them back on his face. He gaze meets hers once again.

"I want you to come to New York with Adrien and I," He says.

Nathalie blinks, her confusion deepening. In all the years she had worked for Gabriel, she never once accompanied him on business trips. She had always been able to do her job just fine from Paris, and in her experience the arrangement worked better that way. Though Gabriel's brand was international, quite a bit of his business was done in France, business that Nathalie herself often attended in place of Gabriel. If she went to New York, Gabriel would have to find a temporary replacement to handle certain meetings and arrangements in her place. It made no sense.

"You want me to go with you to New York," She repeats flatly. "But sir...why? Won't that complicate things here?"

"Of course not," He says, waving his hand dismissively. "Nothing a few emails and cancellations won't solve."

He pauses.

Nathalie can tell he is considering his next words carefully. "You're still recovering from your last use of the miraculous." He says at last.

Understanding dawns on her.

"Gabriel," She speaks his name softly, leaning towards him, momentarily forgetting her commitment to keeping the barriers between them in place. "You don't have to worry about me."

"But I do," He says.

Nathalie's heart swells.

"What if something happens to you while I'm gone?" He continues, becoming more emotional with each word. "What if you relapse and nobody is here to help you? Nathalie, what if you–" He suddenly cuts off, closing his eyes.

Nathalie's fingers curl into a fist on her leg, bunching the fabric there. The urge to touch him is strong, and Nathalie finds that she has to make a conscious effort to keep herself from moving closer to him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

Gabriel has no such reservations.

He turns in his chair so that their legs are touching and he rests a hand just above her knee, squeezing lightly.

The urge grows.

Nathalie allows herself to place her hand on his.

Gabriel's eyes soften.

"If you're that worried," She says gently, "We could always arrange to have Simon check up on me. I–"

But Gabriel is already shaking his head, dismissing her idea. "I want you to be with me. I...I would feel better having you with me. If anything happens...I want to be there for you, Nathalie."

He should really consider the implications of his words before he speaks, Nathalie thinks. Perhaps her effort to keep some appropriate distance between them would be less difficult if Gabriel himself weren't always crossing lines.

Her fingers curl around his hand, holding it. "Alright then," She says.

Gabriel visibly relaxes, satisfied with her answer.

The dining room door suddenly launches open, and Adrien comes barreling through looking disheveled. "Nathalie, there you are! Have you seen my–" He stops short, his gaze falling on Gabriel, and then on their joined hands. "Oh, Father. Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt anything...I can come back later," Adrien says, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

Gabriel tenses and removes his hand from underneath hers. Nathalie misses the warmth immediately.

"No need," Gabriel says, standing. "We're done here." To Nathalie he says, "Find another room like this one," He points to the one pictured on her tablet, "But with the necessary adjustments."

"Of course, sir."

As he's leaving the room, he pauses beside Adrien.

"Don't," He mutters lowly, obviously not intending for Nathalie to hear. She watches the scene curiously, wondering what Gabriel is referring too. As often as acts as the bridge between father and son, it seems odd that there might be something between them that she is not privy to.

Adrien looks up at his father with wide, innocent eyes. "I didn't say anything," he says defensively.

"No," Gabriel replies in the same low tone. "But you were thinking it."

Adrien waits until Gabriel has left the room before he rolls his eyes.

Nathalie is normally a woman who minds her business, but with this, she can't help but pry. "What was that about?"

"Oh..." Adrien hesitates. "I don't think it would be a good idea to tell you just yet. But don't worry. You'll find out eventually." He grins. "Probably very soon, from the looks of things."

Nathalie can't help but feel a little unsettled.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> prompt: hawk moth telling nathalie that he's going to use the peacock miraculous to become shadow moth instead of letting her be mayura again

The entire lair was drenched in a pale moonlight when Nathalie stepped off the lift. The light shone off the white butterflies, causing them to appear as if they were glowing. It made the otherwise plain and depressing room seem almost ethereal.

Nathalie stared for a moment, transfixed, before dragging her gaze to the center of the room, where Hawkmoth stood.

He was looking at her over his shoulder, a small frown playing at his lips.

"You should be resting," He told her.

And she had been, for nearly three days. Nathalie had rarely left her bed in the guest room since the failed akumatiztion of Chloe Bourgeois. The first two days because she was too weak and couldn't stay conscious for longer than a few minutes at time. The third day, today, simply because Gabriel had been too paranoid about her health to let her work; and without her usual schedule she had little else to do.

Though her body still ached and some lethargy still clung to her, she desperately wanted to get up and moving, to do something.

"I'm feeling better," She replied. She approached him. "What about you? You have a long day tomorrow. A meeting and a gala appearance...is now the best time for this?"

"I wasn't planning on akumatizing anyone," He said, turning to face her fully. "I just wanted...to test something."

"Test something?" She repeated. It was then, as she stopped right in front of him, that she realized he was gripping something in the hand that wasn't holding his cane. Seeing her gaze, he held out his hand and opened it, revealing the Peacock miraculous.

His eyes gleamed as he told her, "I fixed it."

Nathalie sucked in a sharp breath and took the miraculous from his palm, holding it up to the moonlight shining through the grand window so she could get a better look. The cracks that had been there previously were now gone, and the whole thing looked shiner, brighter, as if a life had been restored to it.

"Amazing," She breathed. "Are you sure it's fixed?"

"Almost certainly. There's only one way to find out, though."

At his words, Nathalie felt herself deflate a little. As exciting as it was that the miraculous that had brought her–and once, Emilie– so much pain was no longer a threat and would not actively kill her, the thought of putting anymore magic into her body after last time, made her feel ill. Fixed it or not, it was certain to bring her some discomfort. But she had a duty to fulfill. Anything to make the Agrestes–Gabriel–happy again.

"Of course," She said, moving to pin the miraculous to her shirt.

But Hawkmoth suddenly reached out, snatching the miraculous from her, effectively startling her in the process.

"Wha–"

"What do you think you're doing?" He hissed at her.

"I– I was going to transform. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I wanted you to be resting." He took a deep breath, calming himself. "It's too dangerous for you to use the miraculous, Nathalie. Even if it's fixed. And if it's not..." He trailed off. "I don't want to find out. I'm sure you don't either."

He turned away from her then, facing the window, miraculous clutched in hand once again.

That's when it hit her.

"When you said you wanted to test something–"

"That's right," He said. "I'm going to fuse it with Nooroo."

Anxiety swelled up in her chest and spread into the rest of her body, making her feel weak and sick.

"No," She whispered.

"Don't be concerned, Nathalie. This is a good thing. It'll give me the power I need to finally end this battle between me and those damn heros once and for all."

"But you're not one hundred percent sure it's fixed."

"No," He admitted. "But I'm sure enough. It's a risk I'm willing to take."

It wasn't a risk she was willing to take. Nathalie knew first hand the kind of agony that came from using a broken miraculous and the thought of Gabriel collapsing to the floor, struggling to breath, like she had done so many times, made her feel a different kind of pain.

And the pain she had felt had just been with the Peacock. Who knew what damage could be done by fusing it with the Butterfly. All that power going haywire inside the body, tearing it apart.

Nathalie couldn't let him do this.

She closed the gap between them again, putting her hand on his arm and tugging until he turned to face her. He wouldn't meet her eyes, though.

"Hawkmoth–Gabriel," She said. "Please just wait a few days. I'll be back to normal by then and can test it for myself. And you don't need to fuse them–I want to keep helping you as Mayura." She gripped his purple sleeve tightly. "So please wait."

Hawkmoth was silent for a few moments before he sighed, closing his eyes. "Nathalie," He said.

His tone gave her the implication that whatever he was about to say, she wasn't going to like it.

His placed his cane under his arm and put his now free hand over hers.

"There will be no more Mayura."

She blinked. "But if the miraculous is fixed–"

"Then I will use it."

Nathalie pursed her lips. "With all due respect, sir, I don't think using both of the miraculous as one is a wise decision. I believe we'd make better progress as a team. And anyway," She continued, "What happens if you go outside and get caught? I wouldn't be able to help you like last time."

Hawkmoth lowered his head. "You're right about all of that. But my decision still stands."

"But why?"

Finally, he met her eyes with his own, looking strangely subdued. Instead of answering her question he said, "If you truly want to help me, you'll focus on getting better and staying better. That includes not involving yourself in my messes."

She searched his gaze, trying to figure out what he was thinking, but to no avail. His expression offered her nothing except– she wasn't sure exactly what emotion he was looking at her with, only that it made her feel warm. The kind of warmth that you can only feel when coming in to a cozy, dry house after being outside in the freezing rain.

She swallowed, and let go of his sleeve.

"I don't mind getting involved," She said softly. She considered his messes as hers, after all.

"I know. That's part of the problem."

She gave him a look but, once again, he offered her no explanation. He turned around, his body language signifying that the conversation was over.

"It's getting late. You should go back to bed."

"Wait. If you insist on fusing them, then I want to be here with you." If things went south, the last thing she wanted was for him to be alone.

She was afraid he might turn her away again but to her relief, he nodded.

He placed the Peacock brooch on his chest, right under the Butterfly, and immediately Duusu appeared in all her loud glory, clearly having been unaffected by the changes to her miraculous.

She excitedly greeted Hawkmoth, who only winced at her happy shrieking. As she spotted Nathalie behind him, her happiness grew, and Nathalie couldn't help but smile at the small creature as it circled her and finally paused long enough to hug her cheek. "Miss Nathalie! I'm so glad you're okay!"

"Thank you, Duusu."

"Enough," Hawkmoth ordered.

Duusu pouted and flew back to Hawkmoth but, upon seeing her brooch pinned to his chest, she let loud out an excited yell. "Oh! Will you be my holder this time Mr. Gabriel? How exciting!"

"Indeed," He smirked, although Nathalie could see his eye twitching. She made a mental note to retrieve him some painkillers later. Hopefully his growing headache would be the only thing in need of curing after this.

"I'm going to fuse you with Nooroo," He told Duusu. "Are you ready?"

"Yes!"

"Good."

Nathalie held her breath.

"Duusu, Nooroo....unify!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
